AWARD-winning actor Ray Winstone was more than game to support the Haven House Children's Hospice, Woodford Green, yet again on Friday.

Mr Winstone, who has contributed to several fundraising schemes at Haven House in the past, played board games with some of the children in order to launch National Game Playing Week's partnership with the Associa-tion of Children's Hospices.

He told the Guardian: "I started getting involved with Haven House nine years ago. It's very local to me, and I believe you have to look after what is closest to you."

He was also highly critical of what he sees as a Governmental lack of interest in hospices like Haven House.

He said: "This place needs £1.3m to keep itself going.

"Unfortunately, the more that brave men and women carry on working so hard in places like Haven House, the more the Government will sit back and do nothing. They do that because the work is being done for them."

Mr Winstone praised game-makers MB and Parker for their support.

He said: "I think it's a wonderful thing they are doing.

"But it should never have come down to hospices like Haven House needing their help."

Meanwhile, the award-winning actor's latest film is out next week.

The Departed, which is directed by Martin Scorsese, has a star-studded cast list that includes Leonardo di Caprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin and Mark Walhberg among others.